Day 6

Alamos

Today was a scheduled “free day” for the guests.  Some of the group decided they would walk uptown which was just a short distance from our RV park.  Susie and I decided to drive and we found them walking down on of the narrow streets.  We met Cliff, Joan, Ann and Donna at a nice restaurant and ordered from the menu.  It seemed that everyone connected with the restaurant was related and the owner spoke good English.  She welcomed us to Mexico and told us how happy she was to have us there.  The food was good and reasonably priced.

After lunch we found a Pemex and got fuel.  It was 101.8 per liter which I figured to be $3.01 per gallon with an exchange rate of $12.65.  We also got ice (hielo) and headed back to the park before it could melt in the 80 degree heat.

The conditions seem to have improved somewhat since the last time we were here.  The vehicles seemed to be newer and better.  There are more trucks on the road.  You still see the ancient Dina trucks but there are more and more Kenworth, Volvo, and Peterbilts.  One thing with these people doesn’t change and that’s their happiness, their friendliness and their willingness to welcome you to their country.

Day 5

Alamos

Visiting the church in La Aduana

Today was not a travel day so we slept in.  Since we are preparing for the train trip to the Copper Canyon we needed to get laundry done and that service was available to us at the Dolisa Hotel at a very reasonable price.

Crafting with clay

Our guide Emiliano

Historic Alamos

A walking tour was scheduled at noon and our guide Emiliano met us at the RV park and gave us an introduction to Alamos.  The town area has a population of about 13,000 and is very historic.  We car pooled a short distance to the downtown area and then did a fantastic walking tour seeing churches, museums and having the building architecture described. We stepped into the courtyard of an old hacienda for a demonstration of working clay to form beautiful pots and pitchers.

After the walking tour Susie and I did a walking tour of our own visiting the shops and hardware stores and visiting with the local people.

Old church

"Miracle cactus" grows from stone

There was a dinner scheduled later in the afternoon so we drove a few miles to Casa La Aduana in an area where you certainly wouldn’t expect to find a restaurant of this quality.  The majority of the people ordered beef tenderloin and it was a terrific meal.  We had margaritas for our drink choice. The owner of the restaurant is an American but has been in the community for sixteen years.  He employs a number of people in the community giving them a decent living.

Susie & Mike

Day 4

Travel from Guaymas to Alamos

We left Playa de Cortes RV Park in Guaymas this morning at 9:15am headed for the town of Alamos.  It didn’t sound as though we would be going through any large cities so we were expecting a leisurely drive.  Eight miles out of Guaymas we came to a fishing area on the Sea of Cortes.  At each town we passed through there were vendors on the road selling fruits, corn, watermelon and other things.  One kid jumped onto the truck and washed our windshield before the traffic light could change back to green.  The window needed to be washed and he did a good job.

The terrain varied but was farming country, some desert and then we started climbing as we got closer to Alamos.  There were variations of cactus, all beautiful.  Some of the roads were white knuckle driving when meeting or being passed by trucks but we all arrived safely at our RV park for three nights in Alamos, Dolisa Hotel and RV Park.

Day 3

Demonstrating the method of cultivation

Mid-morning we gathered to walk to the Pearl Farm for our 10am tour. Douglas, one of the owners, gave a fascinating and comprehensive talk on pearl farming in the Sea of Cortez.

They took a scientific approach to find a method of cultivation that has a low mortality rate. The pearl oyster larvae attach themselves to artificial corals for protection.

After a few months the juveniles are collected by hand and transferred to “oyster condominiums” where they feed and mature.

Juvenile oyster

Transferring juvenile oysters

When large enough, they are carefully inoculated with a mother of pearl seed. Donor tissue from the mantle of a “rainbow” oyster is transplanted next to the seed. The goal is the production of rare colors in the pearls.

Pearl Farm in Guaymas

The pearls grow in size for four years adding a thick, rich coating to the seed pearl. This results in a valuable, durable pearl with a beautiful iridescent sheen.

Their method has had beneficial impact on the local marine environment, many more pearl oysters are growing naturally in this protected enviornment.

Everyone really enjoyed his presentation, and several guests bought pieces of jewelry.

Carole & Ken

People spent the afternoon exploring town, reading, and visiting the beach.  We held a drivers’ meeting to get ready for the next day's travel, followed by snacks and margaritas. Another lovely day in paradise!

Day 2

Sunset across the bay

This morning we departed Amado, AZ  and traveled south across the border into the State of Sonora.  It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day.  Along the way we noted the changing cactus varieties. We continue to see Saguaro and Chain Cholla, but also Organ Pipe and the occasional Barrel cactus. 

In the afternoon arrived at a beautiful Hotel and RV Park near the ocean in Guaymas.

Late in the day everyone went to the waterfront to enjoy a colorful sunset.

Tender Steak or Garlic Buttered Shrimp?

We then enjoyed a lovely “Welcome to Mexico” dinner in the classic Hotel Playa de Cortes,  which is right on the beach. All of the menu selections brought to us by the attentive staff were delicious, along with the margaritas.

Carole & Ken

Day 1

Another clear dawn

Our weather keeps getting better and better. The clear skies bring crispy mornings, but the days are warming nicely.

Carole & Ken

Today is the day we have long anticipated:  the first day of our tour! We all met at 3 p.m. for orientation, where we shared and learned lots of information to make our journey safer and more enjoyable.  We followed that with a welcome party, with super-nachos and desserts. We are all looking forward to this incredible journey!

Day Minus 1

Processing our paperwork to enter Mexico

We traveled across the border to visit the Aduana or Customs Office. Before we begin our caravan, everyone is required to get a Tourist Permit and our vehicles require a Temporary Import Permit. All sorts of documents including passports, vehicle titles and others along with copies are needed to complete the process.

The first time through, it can seem confusing, especially when we add two different languages and a bureaucracy. With a little help, everyone made it through the process without problems.

At this point each RV has been given a thorough mechanical inspection to make sure it is ready for the journey ahead.

Preparing for a great adventure

We just finished conducting the Rose Parade Rally in Pasadena, CA. We experienced wonderful Southern California weather with our 77 guests. The parade itself, along with the before and after activities, was beautiful.


In a few weeks we are looking forward to meeting all our guests in person at our rendezvous in Amado, AZ. We have spoken by phone as we get ready for our adventure south of the border. As with our previous trips to Mexico, we can not wait to return to see friends we have made.

We are posting this blog to keep friends and family up to date and to share the fun we are having this winter of 2012.